A Lonely Walk Down 24th Street

Authors

LaDaysia Smith, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Shoun Hil

Second Advisor

Kelli Boling

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

Smith, LaDaysia. 2024. A Lonely Walk Down 24th Street. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Comments

Copyright LaDaysia Smith 2024.

Abstract

Growing up in North Omaha, 24th Street represented history and community to my family. Inspired by their memories, I began chronicling its history and architecture, only to discover its current silence and neglect. "A Lonely Walk Down 24th Street" became a monument to beauty interwoven with loneliness. Known as the "Street of Dreams," 24th Street was a thriving metropolis. Will Brown's lynching in 1919 signaled its demise, resulting in decades of municipal indifference. My research focused on documenting the Street's desolation and degradation. Challenges included creative block, technical issues, and adjusting to an older camera given to me by my late grandmother. Despite failures, I built a digital platform that included photography, blogs, podcasts, and poetry.

This artwork depicts my journey by highlighting the development of 24th Street and invites interpretation. It captures the ethos of a once-thriving community area that now serves as a quiet witness to history.